Styx
The Styx are the main antagonists of the Tunnels ''series. (Pronounced Stiks) They are determined to rid the world of Topsoilers, so they can claim the planet. They rule the underground city known as the Colony, spying, kidnapping and murdering anyone who tries to stop them. They also have agents on the surface, from old grannies like Mrs. Tantrumi, to very important people in the government. Some notable Styx in the series have been the Rebecca Twins, the Old Styx, and Eddie. In the series 'Tunnels: The Styx first appear in the first book: Tunnels. As Dr Burrows, Will, and Chester learn about the possible discovery of tunnels under their homeland Highfield, the Styx stalk them with agents from the Colony. When Will and his friend Chester find the Colony, they are caught by a policeman known as the Second Officer, and locked in the Hold. A pair of Styx come to Darklight both of them, a traumatic experience. When Will is released, he finds his real family (the Jeromes), who take care of him. His blood brother Cal shows him how to fit into the community, including attending one of the Styx's religious services from the Book of Catastrophes. Meanwhile, Will, aided by his Uncle Tam, tries to find a way to the Eternal City, along with Chester (who he broke out of the Hold) and Cal. However, he is stopped by his adopted sister, Rebecca, who reveals her true identity as a Styx. He manages to escape her and her Styx minions, although Chester is recaptured. The two others avoid a patrol of the Styx Division, and go Topsoil, stock up on supplies, and head back to the Eternal City. They are cornered by a Styx leader named the Crawfly, and the Styx Division, which prepares to kill him. Cal's Hunter Bartleby fights one of the Styx's dogs, and Will sets off fireworks to distract the Styx and attract Uncle Tam and his friend Imago. Tam duels the Crawfly, killing him, but not before being mortally wounded. As Will and Cal escape the City into the Labyrinth, they find Imago telling them to jump into a hole. The hole drops them into the Miner's Train (the same one Chester was banished to the Deeps on), and the three continue their journey to The Deeps. In the epilogue, Rebecca heads Topsoil to poison Imago's food and kill him, for helping the three escape the Styx. Deeper: The Styx send Sarah Jerome (Will's real mother) a message saying that Tam is dead because Will betrayed him to the Styx. Horrified, she cannot believe that her own son would do this. As she continues to hide from the Styx Topsoil, she is finally caught by Rebecca in Will's underground base. She tricks Sarah into believing it, and says that she knows where Will is and that he had kidnapped her other son, Cal. Rebecca also shows that the bond between Bartleby (who Sarah has found) and Cal could help them track Cal down. The Styx take Sarah back to the Colony and persuade Sarah's mother, Grandma Macaulay to believe that Will killed Tam. She wants Sarah to exact revenge on Will, just as the Styx planned. The Styx take Sarah to the Garrison, where she is given military training and sermons from the Book of Catastrophes. Back Topsoil, Rebecca, the Old Styx and a group of uniformed Styx stand on Admiralty Arch, where the Old Styx praises his granddaughter for dealing with Sarah. He says that she has her father (the Crawfly's) instincts. He reveals the Styx's plot to spread the deadly Dominion virus Topsoil. Dominion, which was the Crawfly's idea, is now being put into action. After giving a speech about how the Styx will purge Topsoil and claim the surface, he and Rebecca release doves containing a weaker strand of Dominion (the Ultra Bug), as a demonstration of their power. The strain causes havoc throughout England, and even reaches other countries like the United States. Back underground, Rebecca has Sarah board a Miner's Train to leave for the Deeps. Rebecca has the Dominion virus with her, along with the vaccine for it. Meanwhile, in the Deeps, the Limiter division of the Styx military has been purging the Deeps, eliminating anything that might pose a threat to the Dominion plot. This includes executions and destruction of Coprolite settlements, and killings of renegades. To assist the Limiters, a detatchment of the Styx Divison, with a calvary and howitzers, is called in. When Will, Cal, and the renegades Elliott and Drake are attacked by Limiters, they split up. The renegades and Cal come across the Bunker, which the Styx used to breed Coprolite slaves. Now it it being used as a test lab for Dominion. They narrowly escape a Styx attack there, but Drake is left behind. Later, Will and Elliott later see a man on a stake being tortured by Rebecca and the Styx. Thinking it is Drake, Elliott puts him out of his misery. It was not Drake, though. Throughout all this, Rebecca is leading Sarah through the Deeps to find Will. The Limiters try to kill Will and the renegades on a subterranean island, but Elliott's rigged charges blow up, killing them. The Limiters then pursue them through the Sharps (destroying most of it in the chase) until they escape. In the final parts of the book, Rebecca, the Styx Division, a pack of Stalkers, and a Limiter firing squad corner Will and the group at the Pore. She reveals that she has a twin sister, and that they plan to destroy Topsoil using Dominion, which was extracted from the Eternal City. During the gunfight that breaks out, Cal is killed and the rest of the group falls into the Pore. The Styx think they all died falling in. However, Sarah, who found out the truth from Will during the chase, pushes the Rebeccas and their Dominion phials into the Pore. Freefall: The Styx begin to organize forces to see if the Rebeccas survived the fall into the Pore. The Limiters comb the slopes to see down into the void, while Tom Cox meets up with the Old Styx and his young assistant. After talking to Cox about what happened to his granddaughters, he orders some Styx to retrieve the Dominion virus left in the Bunker. Before he does this, the Old Styx makes 3 Limiters jump in for failure to keep the twins from falling. One of these Limiters commits suicide, but the other two meet up with the Rebeccas on a fungal ledge. Meanwhile, Drake knocks out a Division soldier and uses a Coprolite mining machine to destroy the Bunker. He then blows up the test cells, denaturing the Dominion virus. The Old Styx, Tom Cox, and some Limiters arrive on the Great Plain to inspect the damage, promising to kill Drake for good. One of the Rebeccas and a Limiter meet up with Dr. Burrows. After explaining she is a Styx and how she got into the family, she forces him to find a way out. The twin becomes increasingly rude to Dr. Burrows, giving him small rations and pressuring him for info. The other Rebecca and Limiter find Martha's Shack, and form a plan. Rebecca feigns innocence, and says her sister pushed her in. After much debate, Will lets the twin stay locked up in cuffs in Martha's back shed. She supposedly gives Will the Dominion phials, but in reality, they are the Ultra Bug phials. When Will and Co. leave for the metal ship, Rebecca comes along. Chester and the twin's relationship degrades even more, to the point Chester calls Will foolish for letting her come. Once at the metal ship (the Russian submarine), she takes care of Elliott using medical knowledge. Elliott gets better, but passes out when seeing Rebecca. While heading back to the shack for supplies, Will and Dr. Burrows reunite. However, the Rebeccas reveal their true colors and demand the phials back, along with Martha. A Bright then kills one Limiter. Elliott sets off the charges, making the sub fall into Smoking Jean and trapping the Styx on board. When Will and Dr. Burrows make it to the surface, they go to see Mrs. Tantrumi. However, she is a Styx agent, and attempts to stab the doctor, but is knocked out by Will. They then meet Drake, who takes them to a safe house. Will and Drake try to convince a cynical Dr. Burrows about the Dominion plot and the Styx. He only believes after a Styx sniper on the rooftop nearly kills him. Will also learns to overcome his Dark Light conditioning from Book 1. After escaping, Drake uses a grenade on the safe house to distract the Styx. Later on, Drake takes Will and his father to see Mrs. Burrows. She becomes angry after Drake reveals her friend Ben Wilbrahams is a Styx agent. Leatherman comes and proves the phials Will had were fakes. While Dr. Burrows and Will say goodbye and head underground to make sure the twins are dead, Mrs. Burrows and Drake plan to lure out the Old Styx and interrogate him. During the operation, Mrs. Tantrumi and Oscar Embers detonate a subaural bomb, knocking out Drake, his men, and Mrs. Burrows. The Old Styx and his Limiters take Mrs. Burrows prisoner in the Colony, while Drake is saved by Eddie. The Styx Darklight Mrs. Burrows, but it takes 7 Dark Lights to fully break her. The Second Officer decides to watch over Mrs. Burrows's body, much to the surprise of the Old Styx. The Rebeccas and the Limiter are found by Will and Elliott at the pit head in the Garden of the Second Sun. They are swimming in the pond in the cave, and Will sees the twins' jackets on a metal hut. He manages to sneak up and steal the Dominion Phials from the jackets, but Rebecca One finds him and tries to kill him. Will shoots her with his Sten and runs, but is sliced on the arm by the Limiter; Elliott shoots the Limiter right after. Soon her charges go off, destroying the pit head and trapping the Rebeccas in there. [[Closer|'''Closer]]: The Rebecca twins jump into the cave pool to escape the charges Elliott set off. They find that the cave is acutally the uranium mines of New Germania. Rebecca Two does CPR on her sister, and then finds a path out. Rebecca Two sees New Germania from the viewpoint she found. Using an old gas tank, they signal the Limiters in the Garden of the Second Sun. The Limiter General, along with his Limiters, comes to their aid. They take the twins into New Germania, where their sudden appearance shocks the residents. Soon, Captain Franz and some New Germanians come to meet the Styx. The Limiter General explains that the Styx allied with Nazi Germany in World War 2. The New Germanians take Rebecca One to a hospital, where she recovers. Soon, the Rebeccas and Limiters meet the Chancellor. They agree to use the New Germanian Air Force to help search for Will and Co, and get the Dominion virus back. Meanwhile, Drake has allied with Eddie, the 'good' Styx. Eddie, who has a wide range of Styx informantion and technology, helps him. When Chester is brought by Eddie and Drake to see his parents, he finds that the Styx have Darklit them so that they call a Styx agent the moment Chester reappears. Drake takes the Rawls prisoner and tries to overcome their Darklighting. He almost kills Chester doing so, but they are reverted to normal. To keep them safe from the Styx, Drake has the Rawls parents stay at a hotel. Drake and Eddie plan an operation into the Eternal City to kill the Plague Snails and stop the Styx from creating more viruses. They plant pesticide bombs and use tranquilizer darts to knock out a patrol of the Styx Division. However, Drake turns on Eddie for torturing and killing a friend of his while back at the university (Drake finally figured it out after Eddie had been dropping hints). He uses a dart on Eddie, knocking him out, and has Chester follow him out to the Colony. The Chancellor and the Styx take off in the helicopters, accompanied by New Germanian soldiers. While flying around the jungles, they camp out. The Styx are also intoduced to Colonel Bismarck, who will be leading the soldiers. The New Germanians also present Tom Cox to them, who was caught stealing food from the city's rim. The Rebeccas are happy to meet up with Cox. Although not planned, the Styx make the helicopter pilots redirect to the Ancient Pyramids (where Will and Dr. Burrows would most likely be). They are right, and Will and Dr. Burrows are found exploring the inside of one of the pyramids. The Limiters start to blow open the pyramid. Will and his father are caught and taken out. The Rebeccas make a deal: they will give the Styx the Dominion virus, and they will be spared. Elliott, who has the virus, drinks the vaccine (secretly) and agrees to this deal. However, as she sees Cox trying to cut Will's fingers off, she kills Cox with a headshot. Rebecca One, in return, shoots Dr. Burrows in the back, killing him. Elliott and a distraught Will give the Styx the virus back, and are helicoptered out by Colonel Bismarck. The Styx take the New Germanian soldiers prisoner and Darklight them. Rebecca Two, who has taken a liking to Captain Franz, wants to be there at his Darklighting sessions. The Rebeccas sneak into the Chancellor's bedroom and force him to surrender. The Styx then use hot-air balloons down the Pore to recover the Dominion virus. After Chester and Drake blow up the Styx's Laboratories, the message comes to the Old Styx. He becomes angry, but is calmed by the Rebeccas, who present him the virus phial. They also present him the New Germanian Army, and the suspicion that Will or Elliott drank the vaccine. Soon the Styx send a Colonist to make Mrs. Burrows plant a bomb Topsoil, but is stopped by Eddie. The Styx test out the New Germanians by attacking the Royal Mint, killing the Governor of the Bank. They frame Drake as the suspect, making him a wanted criminal in England. Types of Styx The Styx can be divided into these categories: Ordinary Styx: These are the Styx who work in the Colony as priests, security, and low-class Panoply Council members. They are seen wearing the trademark black leather coat with a white collar, and are usually pale and thin due to their life underground. However, they are feared and respected by the Colony. Most Colonists view these Styx as their religious protectors who are cruel for the good of all. Often, these Styx are the ones who help capture runaway Colonists and watch events in the Colony. High-Ranking Styx (Colony): These are the leaders of the Styx, the top of the pecking order. They are members of the Panoply Council. It is unknown if there is a single Styx leading the race as a whole, or there are multiple leaders (although it is implied that the Old Styx is the highest-ranking Styx and therefore the supreme leader). There is a "royal dynasty" in the Styx, which consists of the Old Styx, the Crawly, and the Rebecca Twins. These are the Styx who make important decisions and create plans to take over Topsoil. Like most Styx, they are seen wearing the trademark coat and collar. High-Ranking Styx (Military): These are the leaders of the Styx Military. The Military is divided into Limiters, Styx Division, and agents. These Styx are usually ruthless commanders who are good at their jobs. The Limiters have a general and many lower officers. The Styx Division has officers, although it is unknown if they have any other ranks. These Styx usually wear whatever clothing their military operation requires, along with colored cords (the equivalent of medals). Styx Military: The Styx Military has its own page. Good Styx: There are very few good Styx, as the race could be seen as being completely evil. These are the Styx who have rejected their race's ideologies and plans for world domination. They may help Topsoilers who are fighting the Styx. Some good Styx include Eddie and his Limiters, who at first respect the Styx but do not approve of their Dominion Virus plot. Later on, Eddie seems to lose all respect for the Styx when the Phase and the Recall War begin, as the Styx are wreaking complete havoc on the surface and killing many innocent Colonists. f'emales:' Known Styx Leaders The Rebecca Twins The Crawfly The Old Styx The Old Styx's Young Assistant The Limiter General TriviaCategory:CharactersCategory:AntagonistsCategory:Types of charactersCategory:People * Sometime in the past, the Styx began to engage in selective breeding with the Scientists of the Colony. This led them to look similar (black hair, pale skin, tall), and become almost more advanced in nature than a normal person * The Styx headquarters is the Styx Citadel Category:Tunnels Category:Deeper Category:Freefall Category:Closer Category:Spiral Category:Terminal